Electrical signaling device.



C. L. BOPP.

ELECTRICAL SIGNALING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 8, 1911.

Patented Sept. 9, 1913.

Zmnentor (Zttornegs witnesses COLUMBIA PLANOORAPM 60.,WASHIND1'0N. D- Cv Application-filed September 8, 1 91i. Serial to: 648,269.

To all whom it may concern: I a

Be it known that 1,: GnrNToN L. 1301?, a; citizen of the United Statesge residing at Waterloo; in the county of Blackhawk and State of Iowa, have invented certaiin new and? useful Improvements in Electrical Signa ling Devices; and I do hereby declare the following to be full, clear, and exact description of the inventibn, such as will enable others skilled in the m to which it a ppertains to lnztkte and use the same.

This invention relates to mechanism for holding switches closed which are nioved to their )l'o's'ed position by the deflection oi? arail and hasas m object to provide means operable by the rail for closing and holdin'g: closed a contact;

A further objeet on the invention: is to provide an improved form; of third rail for carrying the current to'produce electric signals.

A further object 01E the invention is: to provide improved means for closingthe circuit and retaining the circuit in such closed position! until the train has passed from the contact.-

l/Vith these and! other objects in view the inventicm comprises. certain novel construetiions, combinations and arrangements ozfi parts as will be hereinafter mere tully de scrib'ed and claimed;

The drawihg isi a. View, largely diagrammatic; of the improved ihventicm This inventioni may be used in the disclosure shown in my copending; appliea tinned-(112,369, filed Jan; 16th,,1 912, but in the following specification" it is described as a complete switchi closing: device and is independent-0t any particular signaling: systern.

As indicated in the drawing, one rail 1' isshown with one wheel 2 of a conventional engine or'cari,= the cab on car body of which is shown at with the axle at 4 A dj'a'cent the mu I a column 5= is erected "carrying a: housing 6 on the upper end;

such housing and column beingrigidly secured and stationary adjhcent such rail. Between the colhmn 5 andthe rail 1' a tul emmrhloclr 7 is erected upon! which is turcrumed a lever 8' hhlving a bifurcated end as at' 9 to embrace the lower flange of the ralil 1 so that when the rail 1 is deflected by the pitssag'e of an engine or a" train thereover, the" shorter endot the lever Swill be depressed toraise the longer end which 6X- tenfds into the col uinn 5-.

lVi-th-imthe column fi a rod 10" is mounted to reciiwocate vertically, connected with. the longer end oh the lever 8 as by the link 1 1 and carrying a spring 1-2 at its upper end which engages the lower end 0t plunger 13 also mounted to reciprocate vertically within the column 5 and extending upwarclly into" the housing 6. v The plunger! 13' is provided with an insulating section 145 and springncontacts 15 and 16 are secured within the housing 6 and in normal engage mentwith the insulating section 14'.

At its upper end the plunger 13 carries an armature 1 7 positioned and proportioned to engage the cores" 18 0f the electro magnets 19'' which are rigidly secured within' the housing 6 a Current over the line wire 20 from the source of energy 21 passes through the wire 22 in: the colhinn 5 iLIldttO the contact 16. W'hen" therail 1 is deflected to raise the longer end of the leveir 8* the rod 10 and plunger-'13 are also raised so that the contacts 1'5 and: 1 6 engage the metallic or conductor portion of such plunger so that the current delivered to the contact 16 passes throughv such plunger to the contact 15', thence by the wire. 23 to the magnets which are energized, magnetizing the cores 1 8. The lifting of the plunger 1'3 has brought the armature 17 adjacent to or in contact with: the cores 18- so that when they have become magnetized they serve to hold such armature in engagement with the cores and to permit the current to continue to flow through the conductor portion of the plungenl such movement being permitted by thespring 12 which compensates for any unevenness of action or oscillatihn due to the continued passing: of cars or engines oven the traclt section controlling the 1e V81 8;

After passing through the mh'gn'ets the current passes through the wire 24 tothe plate 25 of the third rail which is preferably constructed of angle or other structural material 26 with an over-turned housing 27 to protect the plate 25 from the weather. The rail is also provided with an angularly disposed guide strip 28. The engine or car which is designed to receive the signal is provided with a bracket 29 which carries a spring-pressed lever 30 terminating in a brush 31 positioned to engage the plate 25 of the third rail and preferably, though not necessarily, with a limiting screw 32. The'current delivered by the wire 24; to the plate 25 is therefore gathered by the brush 31 and passing through the lever 30 and bracket 29 is carried by the wire 33 to the signaling device shown conventionally as a bell 34:. From the signaling device 34 a wire 35 returns the current to the axle 4: of the car where it passes through the rail 1 and wire 36 to ground, completing the circuit. Preferably, though not essentially, a switch 37 is placed in the cab or car for controlling the current.

The present device is designed to prevent the unauthorized actuation of signals for by its use it will be impossible to move the lever 8 by any means other than passing a train or engine over the track as no other available means will cause a deflection of the rail and as the other members are secured from being tampered with and as the lever 8 is so connected with the rail that it cannot be moved without the movement of the rail the whole device is secure from unauthorized interference. The line wire 20, desired to carry any desired signal, is therefore open until the circuit is closed by the deflection of the rail 1 and the contacting of the spring contacts 15 and 16 with the conductor portion of the plunger 13. As soon as this takes place the circuit through the cab or car is completed and any signals can be communicated directed thereto from such line wire. In use the magnets will continue to hold the circuit closed until the train passes from contact with the third rail 25 which may be of any length desired.

I claim 1. In a signaling device, a housing, an electric circuit leading into the housing, a plunger mounted to reciprocate within the housing and provided with an insulating section, contacts engaging upon opposite sides of the insulating section and in con-- nection with the circuit, a rail located adjacent the housing, a lever extending from the rail into the housing and adapted to raise the plunger with the deflection of the rail to bring the contacts into engagement with the conductor portion of such plunger, and means to hold the plunger in raised po- Sition until the circuit is broken.

2. In a signaling device, a housing, a plunger mounted to reciprocate vertically within the housing and provided withinsulating and conducting sections, contacts bearing against the opposite sides of the plunger and normally engaging the insulating section, an electromagnetpositioned and energized to hold the plunger in raised position, a rail adjacent the housing, a lever extending from the rail and adapted to raise the plunger when the rail is deflected, and an electric circuit including the contacts and the electromagnet closed by the engagement of the contacts with the conductor section of the plunger.

3. In a signaling device, a housing, an electric circuit leading into the housing, a switch located within the housing, a rail disposed adjacent to the housing, a lever connected with and actuated by the rail, and flexibly connected with the switch, said switch being closed by the lever as the ra l deflects, and a third rail adjacent to the rail connected with the switch in the housing.

4. In a signaling device, a housing, an electric circuit leading into the housing, a switch located within the housing, a rail disposed adjacent to the housing, a lever connected with and actuated by the rail and flexibly connected with the switch, said switch being closed by the lever as the rail is depressed means for holding the switch in its closed position as the rail rises, and a third rail adjacent to the rail connected with the switch in the housing.

5. In a signal device a housing, an electric circuit leading into the housing, a lever entering said housing, a two part plunger connected to said lever, a contact carried by one part of said plunger, a rail engaging said lever and adapted to raise said plunger as the rail deflects, means carriedvby said housing for closing the circuit through said contact as the plunger rises, a third rail adjacent said housing, and electro-magnetic means associated with said third rail, said contact, and said electric circuit for retaining the contact closed as theother part of said plunger descends.

6. In a slgnaling device, a housing, an

electric circuit entering the housing, a switch tus for engaging the third rail at the time the rail is deflected.

7. In a signaling device, a housing, an electric circuit entering the housing, a switch disposed within the housing, a rail disposed Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the adjacent the housing, a lever engaging the rail and adapted to be moved by the deflection of the rail to close the switch, a third rail located adjacent the rail and electrically connected with the circuit entering the third rail at the time the rail is deflected to close the switch.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CLINTON L. BOPP.

housing, a vehicle moving upon the rail Witnesses: and carrying a signaling device and a brush MAYME MURRAY, carried by the vehicle adapted to engage the A. R. MUTTON.

Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

